Global Journal of Human Social Science, D: History, Archaeology and Anthroplogy, Volume 23 Issue 3

© 2023 Global Journals Volume XXIII Issue III Version I 53 ( ) Global Journal of Human Social Science - Year 2023 D A Ramesside Stela Fragment with Unusual Offerings (Cairo Agricultural Museum, No.4286) Second. The arrangement of items of the necklace is one pomegranate on each side (they are votive fruit and not a container in the shape of a pomegranate), two amphorae on each side, and six pomegranate flowers (Cf.fig.6). One can notice the same arrangement in both. The pomegranate, the vessels, and the flowers are items in both. Comparing the two objects, the flowers that are depicted on the offering table are pomegranate flowers. The vessel on the offering table may contain pomegranate beverages 82 compared to the vessels that formed the items of the necklace, which are supposed to refer to the pomegranate beverage according to necklace items. The gold necklace consists of two pomegranates, four two-handled amphorae, six floral pendants of pomegranate flowers, and eleven carinated barrel-shaped used as separators. All of which have a single row of beading at the ends. Only one of them has two rows of beading at each end which means they are two one is inside the other the total of separators is twelve. The total of other items of the necklace is twelve also. The total of all items of the necklace is24. Perhaps this number points to 24 hours of day and night, or the number 12 of both points to 12 months of the year according to the Ancient Egyptian calendar. This explains the word n ḥḥ that was incised on the top of our offering table which means that the deceased will receive the offerings of pomegranate and its beverage in the other world during the night and day throughout the year. Probably, the pomegranate fruit indicates that the deceased is eating fresh pomegranates, the carinated barrel-shaped symbolizes the barrels where the pomegranate beverage is made, while pomegranate flowers point to the presence of pomegranates for the deceased in the future, the amphorae indicate that the deceased drinks pomegranate beverage in it. It means that the deceased is eating fresh pomegranate and pomegranate beverages and will also eat them in the future, due to the existence of pomegranate flowers. This also applies to the offerings of our fragment. One can notice also that the table of offerings and the loaded offering on it with the outer cover 83 of offerings look like a flowering and fruitful tree, perhaps a pomegranate tree was intended. VI. C onclusions This fragment of a stela sheds new light on the importance of pomegranate as the main funerary offering through Ramesside times. The right hand of the deceased rests on his thigh and grasps a strip of cloth is a style that occurs in the late Eighteenth or more probably the early Nineteenth dynasty and onwards in Saqqara 87 and Deir el- Medina. 88 The owner wears an ankle-length kilt rising high at the back of the waist a style that occurs in Saqqara 89 and Deir el-Medina 90 through Ramesside times. The fashion of dress and wig points to Ramesside times and Deir el- Medina 91 . The long wig is typical of the Ramesside Period style 92 . The style of the chair occurred during the Ramesside times in Deir el-Medina 93 . The libation vessel on a wickerwork stand a style points to the late 18 th or more probably the early 19 th Dynasty and it occurs in Deir el-Medina 94 . The epithets ȝḫ ỉḳ rand ȝḫ ỉḳ r n r ˁ were common 82 Pomegranate wine was found in Ancient Egypt throughout the New Kingdom period. See: Williams, Ronald J., 1972 , 218, P. Anast. IV, 2, IV 3 (which dates to the reign of Seti II, See Gardiner, A. H., 1937, 37-38;Cf. Lilyquist, C., Hill, M., Allen, S., Roehrig C. H. and Patch D. C., 2001,14,fig.p.14.Other reference is from the New Kingdom love poetry P. Turin 1966, 1/2-4 refers to pomegranate wine. See: Thompson, Stephen E., Jan., 1994, 19 83 See the cover on offerings, stela of Pahatia pA-HAty- a, 19 th -20 th dynasty, Turin, Museo Egizio 50015, from Deir el-Medina and stela of Merysakhmet, mry- sxmT , 19 th Dynasty, Turin, Museo Egizio 50017, from Deir el-Medina. Demarée, R.J., 1983, 50, 65, pls.V, A16, VII, A22. 84 SeeImmerwahr, Sara,Oct. – Dec.1989 , 405. 85 The red color of pomegranate seeds has a religious symbolism; it associates with ‘life’ and ‘rebirth’. See: -Lurker M. 1996,100. 86 Whitchurch, David M., and Griggs, C. Wilfred, 2010, 226. 87 See: Leiden Museum Stela V 51 belongs to the scribe and overseer of the cattle of Amun Dejhuty, this stela is from Saqqara. Affara, Manal, 2010,147, 151, fig.1. 88 See: stela is known from Deir el-Medina: Stela of Semet, Cincinnati Art Museum I947.55. Martin, Geoffrey T., 182, 81, 4 Pl. IX (2). 89 Cf. Leiden Museum Stela V 51Affara, Manal, 2010, 151, fig.1. 90 See: stela is from Deir el-Medina: Stela of Semet, Cincinnati Art Museum I947.55. Martin, Geoffrey T., 1982 , 81, 84 Pl. IX (2). 91 Cf. Stela of Kaha, region of Ramses II, Deir el-Medina Clére, J.J., 1929, 188, fig.2 92 Thomson, James K., 1997, 218-219, fig.1. 93 See: Cruz-Uribe, Eugene, 1978, 238, Fig.1; Martin, Geoffrey T.,1982, 81-82, 84, Pl.IX(2); Demarée, R.J., 1983, 31, pls.III, XIV, A8. 94 See: Martin, Geoffrey T., 1982, 81, 84, Pl. IX (2). Numerous sources Egyptian, Graeco-Roman, Jewish, and Christian, illustrate the pomegranate as a symbol of life, death, prosperity, or the hope of regeneration in an afterlife. Because of pomegranates blood-red juice and many seeds, the Egyptians of the New Kingdom onwards recognized its suitability as a funeral offering, and they used the pomegranates as a symbol of life after death 84 . The red color of pomegranate seeds symbolizes blood and life 85 . Of importance for this study are two pomegranate amulets from the Osirian temple inscriptions at Denderah, where a connection between Osiris and resurrection has long been agreed 86 . Pomegranate was used also in Ancient Egyptian medicine.